Median Income
$126,364
household / year
Median Home Value
$1,036,900
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,691
gross / month
Cost of Living
113
national avg = 100

Is Aptos, CA a Good Place to Live?

Aptos is a small town of 6,614 in California, with a median household income of $126,364 and a 5.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 113 (US average = 100), which is 13% above the national average.

Strengths: Aptos stands out for solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Aptos is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Aptos city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 112.6

Aptos's overall cost of living index is 112.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Aptos costs roughly 13% more than the average American city.

Metric Aptos, CA National Avg
Median Home Value $1,036,900 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,691 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 72.9% 65.9%
Median Household Income $126,364 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Aptos's violent crime rate is 368.6 per 100,000 residents — 3% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
368.6 /100k
Property Crime
1322.8 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Aptos is served primarily by Pajaro Valley Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.3:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Aptos, CA National Avg
School District Pajaro Valley Unified —
Elementary Schools 19 —
Middle Schools 6 —
High Schools 6 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 21.3:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 51.7% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 98.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Aptos sees average highs of 62.5°F in January and 74.3°F in July, with 30.1 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricAptos, CA
Average High — January62.5°F
Average High — July74.3°F
Annual Precipitation30.1"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricAptos, CANational Avg
Population6,614—
Median Age50.638.9
Unemployment Rate5.5%3.7%
Avg Commute Time26.7 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)81.7%59.3%
Black or African American0.3%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino12.1%18.9%
Asian2.4%6.3%
Under 1813.9%22.2%
65 and over25.0%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Seacliff, CA 2 mi Rio del Mar, CA 2 mi Soquel, CA 3 mi Day Valley, CA 3 mi Capitola, CA 4 mi

Aptos vs Other Cities

Aptos, CA vs Seacliff, CA Aptos, CA vs Rio del Mar, CA Aptos, CA vs Soquel, CA Aptos, CA vs Day Valley, CA Aptos, CA vs Capitola, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Aptos's cost of living index is 113, where 100 is the national average. That puts Aptos roughly 13% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $1,036,900 and median rent is $1,691/month.
Aptos's violent crime rate is 368.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1322.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Aptos are operated by Pajaro Valley Unified. The district has 19 elementary, 6 middle, and 6 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.3:1. 51.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Aptos, CA has a population of 6,614, a median household income of $126,364, and an unemployment rate of 5.5%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Aptos averages 62.5°F in January and 74.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 30.1 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Aptos, California is 6,614 with a median age of 50.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Aptos: cost of living index 113 (100 = US average), median home $1,036,900, median household income $126,364, crime index 83 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Aptos side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.